How do you know?

[Tellyontellyon]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

 

[Vesper_Jaye✝️]

The most important thing is that it isn’t God’s will if it doesn’t line up with what the Bible says. I think God also helps to point you in the right direction to help you know what His will for you is.

 

[Leaf473]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

I don't think it's a thing we can know, but it's something we can believe.

"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths" I think it says in Proverbs.

 

[Hazelelponi]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

You won't always know. It's a matter of praying for the doors God wants us to walk through to be opened, and making good judgements about what's right and what's wrong and doing what's right to the best of our abilities.

 

[Halbhh]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

We have a great Teacher. Jesus, the Christ. He teaches us so much in His lessons to us, which are in the 4 gospels.

So, while we have then from Him a good way to figure out the right choice about how to treat others that applies in every situation, in every complexity, always:

Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

We also have additionally much from Him about what is the Way in very direct examples, like how did He treat those who had not yet repented (sinners) -- He treated them with mercy and Grace, even visited with them, ate with them. In His teachings you can learn that we need not worry about things in life, and why, and how we will find everything we need come to us when we seek the way He taught us to seek, and much more that He taught for us to listen to and hear.

 

[trophy33]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

I do not think that there is a dichotomy in, for example, life decision:
"Should I study chemistry or physics? One of it is the will of God and the other one is against it".

Any decision you make that is not sinful is God's will. Also, any dead end in your life is God's will. And if the decision is wrong, then it was God's will for you to learn it in this way.

There is also so called permissive will - God allowing/making possible that you sin or you are harmed, because its necessary for some hidden reasons. We should actively try our best, but its in His hands, in the end.

 

[ChristServant]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

I would say sacrifice, the sacrifice of self and submission to GOD and HIS word.

Preparing your heart to the learning of GOD's word, doing what GOD's word tells us and the teaching of GOD's word. All of which I need to continue improving upon.

Peace be to all those in the Body of Christ.

 

[Clare73]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

You make the decision according to informed judgment and the light you have.

That's why God gave us judgment.

 

[Martinius]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I think conscience has a major role to play. Everyone has a conscience, almost everyone has an innate understanding of what is right and what isn't, they have an ability to judge right from wrong. But some don't use it, or they ignore what it's telling them.

I don't think God's will is involved in each and every situation, directing us on exactly what to do. However, our response to the situation IS in essence our response to God's will. Rather than looking to outside signs to tell us what to do, we should look into ourselves, consult our conscience, tap our own feelings. Hopefully our response will be the right one.

 

[James_Lai]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

What do you mean by God’s will? A righteous, a good action? Or smth you in particular must do in life? Are you talking about a sort of fate for you from God, a mission for you to accomplish?

 

[Irkle Berserkle]

I trust that God has guided and protected me throughout my life. I have a number of examples of potentially disastrous decisions on my part from which I was rescued in ways I can only explain as miraculous. For all I know, those disastrous decisions may have been God's will, to help me grow or walk more closely with Him.

I frankly don't worry about whether particular decisions are God's will. I think God can use us in almost any circumstances in which we find ourselves. I pray only that God will help me exercise the best judgment of which I'm capable and will walk with me on the journey. If God actually has a strong will that I make a particular decision, I trust that He will make it known, whether by an internal knowing from the Holy Spirit or by opening or closing the necessary doors.

 

[Leaf473]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

This thought came to my mind while I was remembering your post.

I too have lots of issues and questions about Christianity.

For me it boils down to this:

If Jesus came back to life after being really truly fully dead, then he's worth following.

If not, then throw the whole thing out the window.

 

[Cute Peonies]

How do you know if you are following God's will?

I don't mean things like committing murder, or what to have for breakfast...
.... but the important decisions of your life path....

You always know when you're led by the Holy Spirit. And you can also tell when it's just your flesh leading you. I'd say it depends on your relationship with God.

Learn to listen to His voice first. ^^

 

[jayem]

I think God also helps to point you in the right direction to help you know what His will for you is.

If God directs you in accordance with his will, then logically, doesn’t that negate your free will?

There was recently a piece in our municipal newsletter about a local church that had a career day event for adolescents. People in various occupations gave presentations on what their jobs were like and what education and training was necessary to work in their fields. One young girl was quoted as saying how much she enjoyed the event, and how it would help her “find God’s plan for my life.” I often hear that expression. But think about it. If God—the omnipotent and absolute universal sovereign—has a plan for your life, why would need help finding it? As Jesus taught, God’s will be done, right? What God has wrought will inevitably happen. And if you believe this, then it’s illogical to think that free will exists.

 

[Vesper_Jaye✝️]

If God directs you in accordance with his will, then logically, doesn’t that negate your free will?

There was recently a piece in our municipal newsletter about a local church that had a career day event for adolescents. People in various occupations gave presentations on what their jobs were like and what education and training was necessary to work in their fields. One young girl was quoted as saying how much she enjoyed the event, and how it would help her “find God’s plan for my life.” I often hear that expression. But think about it. If God—the omnipotent and absolute universal sovereign—has a plan for your life, why would need help finding it? As Jesus taught, God’s will be done, right? What God has wrought will inevitably happen. And if you believe this, then it’s illogical to think that free will exists.

If there was no free will, then why would God let the Fall happen? Why does anyone sin?

Not trying to challenge your beliefs, I just want to know why.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

Why does anyone sin?

If we don't have free will then it is not us sinning.... it's God.

 

[Tellyontellyon]

If God directs you in accordance with his will, then logically, doesn’t that negate your free will?

Perhaps God can direct you, but not force you... He can point, through an inner conviction that you feel or through scripture that touches you, but you have the freedom to act on that or not.

 

[Vesper_Jaye✝️]

If we don't have free will then it is not us sinning.... it's God.

That’s what I think too, but I like to hear and learn from other viewpoints

 

[angelsaroundme]

It reminds me of the parable of the talents or bags of gold. The wicked servant is the one who was given money and did nothing with it while the others invested it. Most see this story as being about using what God has given you in terms of your skills, intelligence, and so on to better the world.

The focus shouldn't be all on the results. Maybe you try to do something nice for someone and they don't seem to care. But then again maybe they did appreciate it and later they did something for someone else. We don't know how God will use what we do or say. All we can do is keep trying to bring light into the world.

 

[Leaf473]

If God directs you in accordance with his will, then logically, doesn’t that negate your free will?

There was recently a piece in our municipal newsletter about a local church that had a career day event for adolescents. People in various occupations gave presentations on what their jobs were like and what education and training was necessary to work in their fields. One young girl was quoted as saying how much she enjoyed the event, and how it would help her “find God’s plan for my life.” I often hear that expression. But think about it. If God—the omnipotent and absolute universal sovereign—has a plan for your life, why would need help finding it? As Jesus taught, God’s will be done, right? What God has wrought will inevitably happen. And if you believe this, then it’s illogical to think that free will exists.

I think Jesus taught the prayer that God's will would be done. I see it as a request for God's guidance, his wisdom.

Here's yet another way of looking at your question, @Tellyontellyon. Have you asked God to bring his kingdom into your life?